Source: REUTERS/CLAUDIA GRECO
[Saba Sports
News] After South Korea’s 5-0 victory over Singapore, more than a hundred fans
braved the cold outside Seoul World Cup Stadium, queuing up to take photos with
a cardboard cutout of Lee Kang-in. Nearby, there were also many stalls selling
fan merchandise, scarves, and other accessories related to Son Heung-Min and
Lee Kang-in. It’s not surprising that Lee Kang-in and Son Heung-Min are more
popular than their teammates, but what is surprising is the large number of
female fans in a stadium that can accommodate 66,000 people. According to
official statistics from the Korea Football Association, 65% of the live
audience for this match were women. In South Korea, Lee Kang-in’s jersey sales
rival that of Kylian Mbappe, and the player himself is involved in various
domestic advertisements. South Korean television programs have also repeatedly
promoted sportswear from Paris. Now, every Korean firmly believes that Lee
Kang-in will become the next football star of South Korea, following in the
footsteps of Cha Bum-Kun, Park Ji-Sung, and Son Heung-Min.